WISH PRESS Vol. LXXXI
No. 45
Omaha, NE
10 Av, 5762
July 19,2002
SERVING NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA FOR 81 YEARS
Settlers See Outposts as Obstacles to War by TZVI BEN GEDALYAHU •
by JOAN K.MARCUS.
A woman walks outside her mobile home in the illegal settlement of Mitzpe Danny, from where authorities have repeatedly removed
her and her fellow settlers. See story about the settlement issue on page 8. Photo by Brian Hendler/JTA
Musical Honors Anna Wiesman, Benefits Visually Impaired by CAROL KATZMAN, Editor
In-kind Donations for JCC Maccabi Games Surpass'S 100,000
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For more than 17 years, Anna President of the its Braille Wiesman, a quiet, self-effacing Group in 1984. A year later she woman has been transcribing became a Certified Braille books for Omaha Volunteer Transcriber by taking a national Braille Services. From textbooks exam through the Library of 1 to cookbooks, from children's Congress, training with Doris books to novels, from menus to : Cohn. The group eventually periodicals, Wiesman has steadi| became Omaha Volunteer ly improved the quality of life for , Braille Services and computer1 blind men, women and children ized its transcribing and around the nation. Wiesman continued as President | from 1985-98. Eileen Remer now For her long-standing commitserves as the organization's ment and volunteer efforts, j President. Wiesman will be honored at a benefit performance of Princess Wiesman noted that she had Diana, the Musical, tomorrow first become interested in Braille night, July 20, 8 p.m. at the in college, when her mother Jewish Community Center. became a certified transcriber in Proceeds from the evening will Des Moines. ^ also benefit the Nebraska "The work has beenvery diverFoundation for Visually Anna Wiesman is the honoree for s i f i e d and m o s t rewarding," she Handicapped Children tomorrow night's performance of said, who is also the primary (NFVHC), an organization dear princeSs Diana, the Musical, at instructor training others for certification. When a book has to the heart of both Wiesman flje J C C . been transcribed, it is registered and the musical's songwriter, at the American Printing House for the Blind, locatKaren Sokolof Javitch. "The combination is perfect," said Javitch. "My ed in Kentucky, which acts as a clearinghouse mother, the late Ruth Sokolof, taught blind children nationally for all braille books. When asked for a highlight in her volunteer work, for many years and was very active in NFVHC. She's always my inspiration and the reason I want- Wiesman related an incident about a senior at ed to do a benefit show for this organization. Her Central High School. He wanted to participate in spirit and Diana's are similar~they were both very the Academic Decathlon, but was unable to do so unless materials were made available to him in loving and caring people." The performance marks the fifth anniversary of braille. Special permission had to be secured and Diana's death and tells the story of the relationship assurances of confidentiality pledged. When the competition was over, the student's between the late Princess of Wales and Prince team took first in the state and placed at the nationCharles. The show was co-written by Elaine Jabenis al event. He received special recognition at both levand features Stan and Barb Widman and Anne els and later received a four-year scholarship to Muskin. Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. Wiesman, an active volunteer and leader with (Continued on page 7) Beth El Synagogue and its Sisterhood, became
When the J C C Maccabi Games b e g i n S u n d ay, Aug. 4, you definitely want Judy Josephson on your team! She is the chairman of the "in Judy Josephson chairs In-kind kind"donaDonations for the Games. tions for the five-day event. The Team-Omaha delegation alone consists of upward of 117 youngsters who will participate in a variety of athletic competitions sports. All together, 1000 athletes, ages 13-16, will arrive here from as far away as Israel. Although teams will organize the events of the games, Josephson took it upon herself to collect donations of products for the event. ""My job was to save and not spend money!" she laughed and then said seriously, "We needed breakfast foods, bagels, muffins, cereal, snack items and favors. We started with food and then it grew to water and paper products." When JCC Executive Director Jeff Aizenberg asked her to take on the momentous task she decided that she wouldn't form a committee. Says Josephson, "It just seemed easier to do it myself." Her quest for products then grew to finding copy machines and paper used to send out flyers. Then, her project grew to collecting medical supplies and sports equipment. She has been lucky in her search to have so many people show their generosity. Although she seems non-assertive, one wouldn't want to mess with this petite lady on a quest to help children! She admits to making lists of restaurants, grocery stores, dairies, bakeries and local businesses and says many of the Jewish merchants have been very generous, but doesn't want to minimize contributions from other vendors in the community. She took packets to discount stores and wasn't discouraged when she got small donations. "When they gave us small gift certificates, we bought pop and whatever we could use," she admitted. "We also obtained food from national producers and local factories." One of her sources was a list that she got from a local grocery store chain. "They told me the names of companies to contact. I did some of the work over the phone and I went in person to other places," she added. Most of Josephson's organizing is on the back of envelopes and in a small three-by-five inch recipe box. She smiles when she says, "When somebody told me that they would donate 2400 bagels, I called Jeff and he sent out a letter of confirmation. Then, we estimated a value based upon what it would cost us if we had to buy the product." (Continued on page 7)
INS3DE: "The Promising Land: Wumipog".........page 6 j University Museum.
of
Hartford
Plans
Jewish paged j
Danny Masting Returns to Teinpie...page 12